High speed printing apparatus



Nov. 15, 1966 A. J. MALAvAzOs HIGH SPEED PRINTING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 2G, 1964 Nov. 15, 1966 A. J. MALAvAzos 3,285,164

HIGH SPEED PRINTING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 26, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 15, 1966 A. J. MALAvAzos 3,285,164

HIGH SPEED PRINTING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 26, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. l5, 1966 A. J. MALAvAzos 3,285,164

HIGH SPEED PRINTING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 26, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Nov. 15, 1966 A. J, MALAvAzos HIGH SPEED PRINTING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 26, 1964 N0V 15, 1966 A. J. MALAvAzos 3,285,154

HIGH SPEED PRINTING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 26, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 SCAN COLUMN |23456789|o1|12 sa scAN /A/ ,f/

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I H 5 ,B/ I I' 6 sus SCAN n 3 I l, l. 4 Il Il 5 L' u e LINE PRlNTl-:D A B B United States Patent O HIGH SPEED PRINTING APPARATUS Arthur J. Malavazos, Hayward, Calif., assignor to Friden, Inc., a corporation of California Filed Aug. 26, 1964, Ser. No. 392,149 11 Claims. (Cl. 101-91) This invention relates to printing machines and more particularly to a new and improved chain printer for use in high speed printing apparatus.

The apparatus according to the invention relates to the type of printing mechanism in which the characters comprising a line of text can be printed with each revolution of the chain. The information to be printed may, for example, be stored in a storage register, or may be in the form of coded data represented by perforations in cards, which information is scanned or sensed to control the operation of the printing device. One form of such a storage matrix control system is shown and described in Patent No. 2,918,865 issued December 29, 1959 to E. R. Wooding.

Among the known types of high `speed printing machines, type hammers of various forms are utilized to strike a desired type character as it moves into printing position during the printing of a text line. The type characters may be on a continuously rotating drum or carried by a chain or belt moving continuously in one direction. In the -use of either of these forms the noise level generated by the impact of the hammers with the type characters during'printing is quite high and objectionable.

It is, therefore, an object of the .present invention to provide an improved chain-type printing mechanism in which printing is effected by rolling type wheels across a record strip against an anvil.

Another object of the invention is to Iprovide an improved chain-type printing mechanism in which similar characters in a line of text are printed serially as a chain of rotating type wheels pass transversely of a record strip.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan View of the printing type wheel chain;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view taken from the chain drive end of the device;

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevational view of the printing mechanism, the view being taken on the planes indicated by lines 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an elevational vie-w showing the solenoidcontrolled anvils;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary frontal elevational view of the solenoid control mechanism for the anvils, the view being taken on the planes indicated by lines 5-5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. I6 is an elevational view of one solenoid-controlled anvil in the actuated position thereof;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view of the type wheel chain showing three of the type wheels;

FIG. 8 is a sectional elevation-al view of a spindle of the type wheel chain, the view being taken on the plane indicated byline 8-8 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional plan view of the type wheel spindle showing the auxiliary rack and its engagement with the pinion, the view being taken on the plane indie-ated by line 9*9 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a sectional plan view of `a type wheel spindle showing the pinion engaged with the endless rack, the view `being t-aken on the plane indicated by line 10--10 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary detail of the sprocket and its engagement with the type wheel chain;

FIG. 12 is a di-agrammatic showing of the anvils for a line of text; and

FIG. 13 is a scanning chart.

In order to better understand the principle of operation of the printing apparatus according to the invention, ya pair of conventional axially parallel sprocket-type feed rolls 11 and 12 (FIG. 3) are employed to move a paper web 13 upwardly, -line by line, past the printing station, generally indicated at 14. In its upward movement, the paper web 13 passes over `an endless belt 15 carried by a pair of yaxially para-llel rollers 16 and 17 and is maintained flat and wrinkle-free in its travel past the printing station 14 by means of plates 18 and 19, one above and the other below the noses 21 of a series of horizontally disposed printing anvils 20. The paper feed Irollers 11, 12 and 16, 17 rotate in syn-chronism and may be controlled electrically and/ or me-chanically in a conventional manner to move the paper web, line by line, relative to printing station 14.

Upon line-by-line movement of the paper web 13, printing of a line of text is effected by a plurality of type bearing wheels 24 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3), one such type wheel for each letter of the alphabet and for the numerals 0 to 9. The ty-pe wheels 24, including one for each of a series of punctuation characters, `are transported by an endless carrier, generally indicated at 25, moving in a plane adjacent and parallel to the end of the noses 21 of the normally inactive printing anvils 20. In order to effect the printing of the type characters on wheels 24 on the paper web 13, Ian ink -ribbon 26 (FIG. 2) passes from the supply reel 27 between the type character wheels 24 and the paper web 13 to a conventional take-up reel (not shown).

During each revolution of the endless carrier 25, the printin-g of `selected type characters in each line of text is determined by the selective adjustment of the printing anvils 20 outwardly toward the moving type character wheels 24. In the embodiment of the invention shown, there are seventy-two such printing anvils 20 representative of the maximum number of character positions in each line of text to be printed. The printing anvils 20 are juxtapositioned and independently supported upon a pair of relatively strong spring members 30 (FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 6) mounted in spaced parallel relationship within a longitudinal block 31 secured at its respective ends between parallel side lframe members 32 and 33 (FIG. 1).

Movement of the printing anvils 20 to the right, as viewed in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, relative to the m-oving type character wheels 24, is under the control of an electromechanical actuating means, generally indicated at 34, which means comprises four rows 35, 36, 37 and 38 of electromagnets 40. Associated with each electromagnet 40 is an armature 441, one such electromagnet and armature for each of the printing anvils 20. The top r-ow 35 of the electromagnets I40 (FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5) is secured side by side along the inner surface of the upper ange 42 `of channel member 43 `sup-ported between side frame members 32 and 33. Similarly, the electromagnets 40 of each of the intermediate rows 36 and 37 are arranged side by side and are secured on the inner surface of the web portion 44 of channel member 43. Likewise, the electromagnets 40 of the lower row 38 are secured in side by side relationship on the inner surface of the lower flange 45 -of channel member 43. The armatures 41 of the corresponding electr-omagnet 40 of each of series 35 and 36 are rockably mounted upon a shaft 46 secured at its ends in respective side frames 32 and 33, having their lower depending end 47 abutting the left end of the corresponding printing anvils 20. Similarly, the armatures 41 associated with the electromagnets 40 of each of series 37 and 38 are rockably mounted upon a shaft 48 secured at its ends in respective side frames 32 and 33 parallel with shaft 46. The upper end 49 of each of the armatures 41, mounted on 4shaft 48, abuts the left end of the c-orresponding printing anvils 20.

Normally, cach pair of springs 30 resiliently urge the associated printing anvil 20 to the left (FIGS. 3 and 4) to maintain the upper end portion `49 of the lower series of armatures 41 and the lower end portion 47 of the upper series of armatures 41 in engagement with a rub-ber damping :bar 53. The bar 53 is suitably secured within a channel member 54 which extends transversely of the armatures 41 and is supported at its ends in Irespective side frame members 32 and 33.

As mentioned hereinbefore, the' electromagnets 40 (FIGS. 3, 4, and 6) may he selectively energized in conformity with information stored in a storage register, such as a magnetized drum or tape. Such information is lread out by scanning the surface of the magnetized drum, or by scanning information stored on the magnetized tape. The energization of the electromagnets 40 may also be controlled selectively by sensing information in a perforated card or tape. Each of these means for controlling energization of the electromagnets 40 are conventional and are Well known. Upon energization lof a selected electromagnet 40, the corresponding printing anvil is moved to the right, as shown in FIG. 6, to engage the shoulder 55 of the actuated printing anvil 20 with the lengthwise edge of a bar 56 supported between frame members 32 and 33. Thus, the positioning of the nose 21 of the actuated anvil 20 is determined with respect to the plane of travel of the type character face of the wheels 24. In other words, the limited movement of the printing anvil 20 by the bar 56 is suicient to permit the nose 21 of the anvil to move the paper and ink ribbon into position for rolling contact with the type character wheel 24 bearing the desired type character to be printed, as will now be described.

Each of the type character wheels 24 (FIGS. 7 and 8) is in the form of a truncated cone having twelve pads 60 of equal size spaced equiangularly on the tapered periphery thereof. There is one type character wheel 24 for each letter of the alphabet and for each digit 0 to 9 as well as many and varied punctuation marks, such as periods, com-mas, et cetera, and a like type character is embossed on the twelve pads 60 of a corresponding type character wheel. Each type character wheel 24 is `secured on the square upper end of a shaft 61 rotatable in a sleeve `62 which serves as a spindle interconnecting one series of links l63 and 64 and the other series of links V65 and 66 of a chain, generally indicated at 25. At its square lower end, each shaft, or spindle, 61 carries a 12-tooth pinion 68 which, by virtue of the fact that Vit is enmeshed with an endless toothed rack `69, effects rotation of type character wheels 24 during each revolution of the chain 25. The endless rack 69 (FIGS. 1 and 3) is secured in a channel formed in the inner surface of the vertically disposed leg of a right angular ovate retainer 70 secured on a base plate 71 which is suitably supported on a bar 72 secured at its ends in the framework of the machine. The endless rack 69 may be formed of any suitable material, but is preferably formed of neoprene in the embodiment shown. Base plate 71 is supported on bar 72 at an angle to the horizontal, such that the plane o-f the .outer conic peripheral surface of the type character wheels 24 is parallel with the plane surfaces of the noses 21 of the normally inactively positioned printing anvils 20.

The links 63 and 64 of the chain 25 (FIGS. 7 and S) are freely mounted upon the extended reduced diametral end portion 76 of the sleeve 62 and are maintained against the shoulder 77 by means of a clip 78 engaged in an annular slot in the end portion 76, whereby an annular -groove 79 is formed in the sleeve 62. Similarly, links 65 and 66 of chain I25 are freely mounted on t-he lower reduced diametral end portion of sleeve 62 and are maintained in engagement with the shoulder 80 of the sleeve 62 by means of a clip 81 engaged in an annular slot of the sleeve, whereby yan annular groove 82 is formed similar to the annular groove 79. In order to drive the endless carrier, or chain, 25, a pair of similar dual sprockets' 86 and 87 (FIGS. 1 and 3) are provided with the teeth of each of the wheels 88 of the dual sprocket 86 engaging in the annular grooves 79 and 82, respectively, of adjacent sleeves 62. Similarly, the teeth of each of the wheels 89 of dual sprocket 87 engage, respectively, in the annular grooves 79 and 82 of adjacent sleeves 62. Duel sprockets 86 and 87 are pinned, or otherwise secured, on respective shafts 90 and 91 disposed in vertical axially parallel relationship at opposite ends of the machine. Each of the shafts 90 and 91 is supported at its upper end for rotation in opposite ends of an ovate plate 93 by means of similar bearings 92. Plate 93 is supported in spaced parallel relationship to Ibase plate 71 by means of a pair of spaced parallel spacer bars 94 secured to the top surface of hase plate 71 and to the lower surface of plate 93. At its lower end, each of shafts 90 and 91 is supported for rotation in like manner by means of similar .bearing 95, one for each shaft, secured in similar 'bearing caps 96 mounted in base plate 71 and threaded into the web portion of a channel housing 97 secured against the lower surface of the base plate 71. Each of the 'bearings 92 is suitably covered by means of similar domed caps 98 removably secured on ovate plate 93.

Movement of the endless carrier, or chain, 25 is under the control of an electric motor 102 (FIG. 2) having a 'belt drive connection 103 with a shaft 104. A worm 105 is secured on the shaft 104 and is enmeshed with a worm Igear 106 secured on the lower extended end of sprocket shaft I within housing 97 to impart rotation to the dual sprocket 86.

In order to ensure the meshing engagement of pinion 68 (FIGS. 3 and 8) on each type of wheel spindle 61 with the rack 69, a roller 110 is carried by the reduced diametral lower extension of the spindle 61 and is held against axial movement thereon by means of a suitable screw 111 threaded into the end portion of the spindle. During the operation of the machine and the movement o-f the chain 25, the roller 110 rides against the vertical outer edge of an ova'l rail 112 secured on the top surface of 'base plate 71. While the chain 2S is moving, each of the type character wheels 24 is rotated due to the engagement of the pinions 68 with the rack 69. Upon movement of the upper 'run of the chain 25 to the left (FIG. l) and as the type character wheels 24 successively approach the printing station 14, i.e., the rightmost printing anvil 20, the pinions 68 on the type Wheel spindles 61 become enmeshed with the teeth of a metallic rack A115 (FIGS. 3, 8 and 9) vsecured on 'base plate 71. The rack 115 extends to the left Abeyond the leftmost printing anvil 20 to ensure accurate registration of each type character on each type Wheel 24 with the nose 21 of each printing anvil 20 which has 'been moved to its printing position. Also, as the rotating type character wheels 24 are moved by the chain 25 into printing position relative to the printing anvils 20, a roller 116 (FIGS. 3 and 8), carried by the upper extending portion 76 of each of sleeve 62 of chain 25, engages the edge surface 117 of a projected portion of the plate 93. By the rolling contact of each roller 116 with the surface 117, a deflection in the chain is averted as the corresponding type characwheel 24 rolls across the paper web 13 moved to printing position by a nose 21 of an actively positioned printing anvil 20.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown, the printing apparatus is designed cfor the printing of a 72-character, or column, line of text (FIG. l2), each character space Ibeing 0.100 of an inch in width. Thus, each line of the text will be 7.200 inches in (length. Also, adjacent type character Wheels 24 have an axial spacing of .600 of an inch, so that if the leftmost or No. 1 printing anvil 20 and each sixth column anvil to the right thereof, including No. 67, i.e., Nos. l, 7, 13, etc., were simu'ltaneously actuated to move the paper web into the printing plane of the moving type character wheels 24, the rst twelve type character wheels to roll by the noses 21 of the actuated printing anvils 20 wou'ld effect a simultaneous printing of the character represented by each of the twelve wheels. For example, upon one revolution of the chain 25 and as each type character wheel A to L rolls over the -ribbon and paper, with the nose 21 of the corresponding printing anvils 20 serving -as a platen, the characters represented by each of the type wheels will 'be printed simultaneously in the successive sixth column spaces of the line of text.

Referring to the chart in FIG. 13, each group of six printing anvils 20, i.e., 1 to 6, 7 to l2, etc., is considered to be a scan and the movement of a type character wheel 24 from one character space to the adjacent character space is considered to be a sub-scan. If a lline ABB is to be printed, as indicated in the chart, and remembering that the chain 25 and the type character wheels 24 carried thereby move from right to left in FIG. 12, the leftmost or No. l printing anvil (FIG. l2) will first be actuated for the printing of the A in column 1. As the chain continues its movement to the left at a constant velocity (FIG. 12) and following the printing of A, the No. 3 printing anvil 20 will be actuated and the B type character wheel will make four sub-scans, where- 'upon the B type wheel will roll over the nose 21 of the No. 3 anvil to eiect printing of B in column 3. Immediately thereafter, the No. 2 printing anvil 20 will lbe actuated and the B type character wheel, after fi've sub-scans, will effect the printing of B in column 2, thereby completing the line of text. The speeds that can be obtained with the printing apparatus according to the invention may be as high as 4,000 characters per minute.

What is claimed is:

1. In a high speed printing device controlled by a storage unit to print multiple columns on a record medium comprising, in combination, a plurality of normally inactive printing anvils extending across -the width of the total number of columns to be printed and at a right angle to the record medium, one of said anvils for each column, an endless type carrier supporting a plurality of type character wheels bearing sequentially a separate type character, a drive means for effecting cyclic movement of said type carrier, one run lof said carrier moving in a plane parallel to said printing anvils, means for supporting said record medium for line by line movement between said printing anvils and the parallel plane of said one run of said type carrier `for the printing of a text line thereon, means operable to selectively move said anvils, dependent upon control by said storage unit, from the inactive to the active position to move said record medium into the plane of travel of said endless carrier, and means for causing rotation of said type character wheels during operation of said drive means whereby a predetermined type character wheel rolls over said record medium and the actively positioned printing anvil to cause the printing of the type character on the record medium.

2. In a high speed printing device controlled by a storage unit and comprising a plurality of printing, anvils and a record medium, one said printing anvil for each character position of a line of text to be printed on said record medium, said printing anvils being disposed for movement Itoward and away from a printing position, means responsive to said storage unit to selectively control movement of said anvils, an endless carrier having `at least one run parallel to said printing anvils, a plurality of equally spaced type character wheels mounted for rotation on said endless carrier bearing sequentially a separate type character, means for supporting said record medium between the one run of said endless carrier and said printing anvils, means for driving said endless carrier lto move said type character wheels in sequence in a plane parallel to said printing anvils, and

means for rotating said type character wheels during operation of said driving means to roll predetermined type character wheels over said record mediumI in each character position in a line of text represented by the movement of selected printing anvils to printing position.

3. In a high speed printing device controlled by a storage unit to print multiple columns on a record medium comprising, in combination, a plurality of normally inactive printing anvils extending across the width of the total number of columns in a line of text to be printed and at a right angle to the record medium, one of said anvils for each column, means under the control of said storage unit for selectively moving each anvil from its inactive to an active position, a plurality of rotatable type members, a carrier for said rotatable type members adapted to effect a cyclic movement of said type members in a plane parallel to said printing anvils in the inactive position thereof and in a line corresponding to the line of text Ato be printed, said type members being disposed in equally spaced relationship on said carrier and adapted to roll on said record medium to effect the printing of a type character thereon in each column position represented by each of said printing anvils in the inactive position thereof during a cyclic movement of said carrier, a drive means for effecting movement of said carrier, and means for rotating said type members .operable upon operation of said ydrive means and movement of said carrier.

4. In a high speed printing device of the character described in claim 3 wherein said carrier is a chain.

5. In a high speed printing device of the character described in claim 4 wherein said chain comprises a plurality of links, a series of cylindrical pins for joining said links operative for engagement with said drive means, one said pin for each adjacent pair of links, and a spindle for each of said cylindrical pins concentrically mounted for rotation therein and operative to support said type members.

6. In a high speed printing device of the character described in claim 5 wherein said drive means comprises a pair of sprocket wheels, the teeth of which engage lbetween adjacent ones of said cylindrical pins to controi movement of said chain, and a motor for 'driving at least one of said sprockets.

7. In a high speed printing device of the character described in claim 5 wherein each of said type members is a wheel mounted on a corresponding one of said spindles and having a series `of like type characters equally spaced on the periphery thereof, whereby a type character is selectively printed in adjacent column spaces upon rolling contact with said record medium -during operation of said rotating means.

8. In a high speed printing device of the character 'described in claim 7 wherein said rotating means comprises a stationary rack member, and a pinion carried by each of said spindles enmeshed with said rack to cause rotation of said type wheels in timed relation to the movement of said chain.

9. In a high speed printing device having a framework, :an endless carrier in said framework, a plunality of printing anvils supported in said framework, one said printing anvil for each character position in a line of text to be printed on a record medium, said printing `anvils being arranged parallel to at least one run of said endless carrier and disposed for movement selectively toward and away from a printing position relative to the one run of said endless carrier, means supporting the record medium between said printing anvils and said endless carrier, means for driving said endless carrier continuously, and means carried by said endless carrier for eifecting the printing of a line of text on said record medium, the combination comprising a plurality of type character wheels mounted in linear spaced relationship for rotation on said endless carrier, and means for rotating said type character wheels during operation of said driving means and each revolution of said endless carrier to roll the type wheels across the record medium for a printed impression of the type character thereon in each character position of the text line represented by the selective movement of said printing anvils to printing position.

10. In a device of the character described in claim 9 W-herein said type character Wheels bear la set of type characters in sequence, one said type character wheel for each type character, said type character Wheels being rotatable by said rotating means at a speed relative to Ithe linear speed of said endless carrier to enable the printing of a predetermined type character in adjacent character positions in a line of text.

11. In a device of the character described in claim 10 wherein said controlling means comprises a plurality of shafts carried by said endless carrier in axial parallel References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,343,721 3/1944 Vantuyl lOl-110 X 2,690,710 10/11954 Aurbach 101--91 2,825,279 3/1958 Gottscho 101--110 2,918,865 12/1959 Wooding 101--111 2,935,016 5/1960 Miller 101-93 WILLIAM B. PENN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A HIGH SPEED PRINTING DEVICE CONTROLLED BY A STORAGE UNIT TO PRINT MULTIPLE COLUMNS ON A RECORD MEDIUM COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A PLURALITY OF NORMALLY INACTIVE PRINTING ANVILS EXTENDING ACROSS THE WIDTH OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF COLUMNS TO BE PRINTED AND AT A RIGHT ANGLE TO THE RECORD MEDIUM, ONE OF SAID ANVILS FOR EACH COLUMN, AN ENDLESS TYPE CARRIER SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF TYPE CHARACTER WHEELS BEARING SEQUENTIALLY A SEPARATE TYPE CHARACTER, A DRIVE MEANS FOR EFFECTING CYCLIC MOVEMENT OF SAID TYPE CARRIER, ONE RUN OF SAID CARRIER MOVING IN A PLANE PARALLEL TO SAID PRINTING ANVILS, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID RECORD MEDIUM FOR LINE BY LINE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID PRINTING ANVILS AND THE PARALLEL PLANE OF SAID ONE RUN OF SAID TYPE CARRIER FOR THE PRINTING OF A TEXT LINE THEREON, MEANS OPERABLE TO SELECTIVELY MOVE SAID ANVILS, DEPENDENT UPON CONTROL BY SAID STORAGE UNIT, FROM THE INACTIVE TO THE ACTIVE POSITION TO MOVE SAID RECORD MEDIUM INTO THE PLANE OF TRAVEL OF SAID ENDLESS CARRIER, AND MEANS FOR CAUSING ROTATION OF SAID TYPE CHARACTER WHEELS DURING OPERATION OF SAID DRIVE MEANS WHEREBY A PREDETERMINED TYPE CHARACTER WHEEL ROLLS OVER SAID RECORD MEDIUM AND THE ACTIVELY POSITIONED PRINTING ANVIL TO CAUSE THE PRINTING OF THE TYPE CHARACTER ON THE RECORD MEDIUM. 